WHO OWNS THE MOON?
For more than 100 years, science fiction writers have imagined humans living on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, the dream came closer to becoming a reality. That day, two American astronauts became the first humans to walk on the Moon. Since then, many national space agencies have been planning projects that would enable astronauts to live on the Moon for months or even years. Some space agencies, including those of the USA and China, have already developed much of the new technology required for these projects.(lines 1–6)
In the early 2000s, private companies realized that the Moon could provide many commercial opportunities. Consequently, they began developing their own lunar projects. Some, for example, plan to mine the lunar rocks for valuable metals used in manufacturing electronic devices. Of course, mining on the Moon will be extremely complex. However, several private companies have been working with national space agencies to develop the technologies needed for lunar projects. Thanks to these combined efforts, progress has been rapid, and experts believe that mining on the Moon could begin within a decade.(lines 7–13)
In the early days of space exploration, governments recognized that there was a need to ensure peaceful cooperation between nations on future space projects. Consequently, in 1967, one hundred countries signed the Outer Space Treaty (OST) – an international treaty stating that the whole of outer space belongs to all people on Earth. The OST was based on the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which stated that no nation could own any part of Antarctica and that all nations must cooperate in any scientific research done there. The OST has similar requirements regarding outer space. However, while the Antarctic Treaty bans mining, the OST does not mention the subject. So it remains unclear who will own what is mined on the Moon or anywhere else in space.(lines 14–21)
Today, because of the involvement of private companies, the question of who owns anything mined on the Moon is causing much debate among legal experts. "Since the OST doesn't deal with commercial activities, it cannot provide us with answers," says space journalist Dina Bradley. "The private companies insist that any profits should be theirs because of the enormous sums of money they are investing in their Moon projects. And, in fact, several governments now have national laws that allow private companies to own whatever they mine on the Moon."(lines 22–27)
Many of the legal experts, however, claim that such national laws conflict with the OST. It would be better, they say, to set up a new international organization to control all aspects of lunar mining. Its responsibilities would include, for example, establishing safety rules for the activities. "To reflect the basic idea of the OST, such an organization should also ensure that a share of the profits goes to all nations. And this includes nations that cannot afford to invest in space projects," says Bradley. "Then we really will have a Moon that belongs to everyone."(lines 28–33)